Jodie was knifed in the back in a park close to St Neot’s Road in Harold Hil on Friday night while hanging out with her friends.
She was with a group of five other teenagers playing music and socialising when she was suddenly approached by her attacker.
The 17-year-old was stabbed at 9.25pm, and despite the efforts of cops and paramedics she was declared dead an hour later.
Met Police detectives have now released new details of the crime – including a description of her attacker.
He is described as “a black male aged in his late teens” who approached the group with another male, of who cops have no details.
DCI Dave Whellams, said: “I am appealing for any witnesses who have yet to speak with police to call me.
“There has been excellent support from the local community and a number of people have shared information with police, but there will be other witnesses and people with information that may prove crucial.
“Although the description of the suspect is limited, I am certain that people will have seen the two males hanging around the park or running away from the scene – or will otherwise have noticed something suspicious.
“I need those people to call me.”
Met Police said Jodie’s group were “aware” of two males in the park who left without approaching them at around 9pm.
“Around 30 minutes later the pair returned to the park and walked straight towards the group, where one of the males stabbed Jodie once in the back,” the force said.
“Nothing was said by the two suspects, who ran off in the direction of Retford Road.
“The suspect who attacked Jodie is described as a black male aged in his late teens. There is no further description of him at this stage, nor is there any description of the other male.”
Her family have paid tribute to her as a “beautiful, lovely and quirky” girl and have appealed for witnesses to come forward with information about the attack.
In a statement to ITV News on Sunday, her uncle, Dave Chesney, said “we are all devastated”.
He added: “This was a totally random and unprovoked attack on a beautiful, lovely and quirky young girl with her whole life in front of her.”
Mr Chesney said Jodie was the daughter of his youngest brother Pete, adding: “We value your support and prayers at this time especially for our brother Pete, his wife Jo and Jodie’s sister Lucy.
“Also for the friends that were with her at the time.”
Posting on Facebook on Saturday, Jodie’s grandmother Debbie Chesney said too many young people were having their lives “cut short by needless violence”.
She called for anyone with information into the attack on her youngest granddaughter to contact the police.
Ms Chesney added: “This was our youngest granddaughter.
“How have we come to this point where kids can’t have a walk in a park without suffering an unprovoked attack?
“If anyone knows anything about this please contact the police with information.
“We don’t want anyone else to go through what our family is suffering right now.
“This has to stop, there are too many young people having their lives cut short by needless violence.”
Councillor Paul McGeary, who represents the Gooshays ward where the incident occurred, arrived with fellow councillor Tele Lawal to lay flowers at the scene.
Mr McGeary spoke of his “shock and horror” that the killing had happened in the semi-rural outer London borough.
He said: “This is not something that happens here and I am just completely surprised.”
Ms Lawal said the park, which she herself used to play in, was “not an area where you will frequently see violence like this”.
The 22-year-old added: “It is going to shock our community but it just shows the strain that is happening with young people, with our police and the resources we need in our community to tackle violence like this.”
